How did you get through the period of long 10 month and a few moments
for this to happen? Eventually. What a wait. Christmas markets are back.
Vienna, home to glamorous cafés, traditional Fiakers (horse carriages) and to
the very romantic waltz, is dressed in sparkly Christmas lights to welcome
visitors. It seems like millions of lights are lavishly sprinkled all over the
city, they are a real feast for the eyes … for all, who are hungry for
Christmas. It is a magical time of the year, and is there anything more
romantic than walking under all these Christmas lights? Even the horses are
flirting with each other.
Vienna, Austria’s capital in the east of the country is known the world
over for Mozart and Beethoven, for ballroom dancing and museums, for the Hapsburg
monarchy and Art Nouveau architecture and for chocolaty Sacher Torte and Apple
Strudel. These make it worth to visit but wait till you see all the magical
Christmas Markets. The atmosphere in Vienna during Christmas time is wonderful.
The more I speak to people on the Christmas markets, the more I
understand why everything I eat tasted outstandingly delicious. In Vienna
people are seriously passionate about food, and they have a true sense for
cooking, traditional craftsmanship and details. Come and follow me on a visit
to five of the loveliest Christmas Markets you might have ever seen. You can easily walk from
one market to the other.
1. Royal and Imperial Christmas Market Michaelerplatz near the Hofburg
The Michaelerplatz, a baroque style square is directly next the famous
Hofburg of Vienna. It has been designed in 1725, albeit finished only at the
end of the 19th century. In the centre of the square and right next to the
Christmas Market you have the chance to marvel at archaeological excavations.
The square is illuminated and has only a few selected stalls, and there are
horse carriages parked everywhere. Can a Christmas Market be more enchanting?
As one stall holder tells me, the Austrians love to drink their Punsch
at Christmas, and there are many different Punsch varieties on offer in this
city. Did you know that Punsch was native to India? English navigators brought
the mixed drink to Europe in the 16th century. Its name stems from the Hindu
word panch, five, and refers to its original five ingredients: water, wine,
lemon juice, fruits and spices. Today star anise, vanilla beans, orange zest,
ginger, and often rum is added to the drink. A specialty of this Christmas
market is the Sisi punch. To what extent Sisi, the empress and her husband,
Franz-Joseph, the emporer of Austria enjoyed drinking Punsch, we will probably
never find out. The stall holder tells me, that “people love to order drinks
named after them.” And boy, he is right, that is exactly the reason I ordered
the Sisi Punsch. While I sip the warm drink carefully, so that I can enjoy it
thoroughly, I see Sisi right before me, and it tastes just as lovely as I
always imagined her to be.
You can buy handmade cribs, toys, crafts, classic head-wear, and
wonderful spice decoration at this market. Farouk sells all things spice with a
big smile. He is originally from Algeria (People's Democratic Republic of
Algeria) and moved to Vienna for love. He is married to a very lovely Viennese
lady, and loves his life in Austria.
Info Christmas Market Michaelerplatz, 1010 Vienna. Hours till 1st
January 2019: 10am to 8pm. 24th December 2018: 10am to 5pm. 31st December 2018: 10am to 2am. 1st January 2019,
1pm to 8pm.
2. Christmas Market Stephanplatz
This is a small Christmas Market right in the center of town, and stalls
run all around the St Stephen’s Cathedral. Exhibitors offer quality products,
all made in Austria. The wind howls around the cathedral grounds and the icy
cold air indeed adds to the Christmassy atmosphere. The Cathedral has been
completed in 1160 and ever since became the national emblem of Austria.
Andrea and her partner, one of the proud stall holders, make diaries
from scratch. The two autodidacts from Romania are proper artisans. When they
started their business, they dissected vintage books, to truly understand the
art of book binding. They use a secret mixture to alter the thick paper and
achieve these well-worn haptic only old books have. Andrea tells me with a
cheeky smile that “one ingredient is cinnamon, but I won’t tell you more …”
Info Christmas Market Stephanplatz. Stephanplatz, Churhausgasse. Open
till 26th December 2018. Hours till 23rd December 2018 daily: 11am to
9pm. 24th December 2018, 11am to 4pm. 25th December and 26th December 2018,
11am to 7pm.
3. Christmas Market Am Hof
The “Platz am Hof” is one of the oldest squares of the city and is
located right in the historic centre. On the square are the former armoury and
the "House of the Golden Ball." In the middle of the square is a tall
column where Maria prays to the Gothic "Kirche am Hof," a church with
a Baroque style facade. Everyone knows that the composer Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart is Austrian. It was at the Collalto Palais at this very square where in
1762 the then six-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart together with his sister
Nannerl gave their first public concert.
The square has always been a place for tournaments and events and the
Christmas Market fits right in. Sylvia Praehofer from Franz Tausch Lebkuchen is
a living example of how food obsessed (in the most positive sense) Austrians
are. They sell 40 different gingerbread varieties and she was able to describe
them so beautifully to me, that I couldn’t help but to buy some. She narrowed
down my decision with a few questions: “Do you love your gingerbread to be
fruity?” … “Do you like it fruity and soft, or spicier and more delicate?” She
keeps asking me till we find out what I like best. Make your own choice, this
stall is Gingerbread heaven. When I leave Ms Sylvia Praehofer explains that it
is “best to store the Gingerbread in a tin can, and should they become hard,
simply place some fresh apple slices into the box.”
42 artisans, 13 commercial craftsmen, 7 traders, 2 Maroni huts and 12
food/drink stalls make this a truly magical Christmas Market. Drink a glass of
Punsch at one of the many stalls and look around you. It is not too hard to
imagine how it was in 1280, when the first market was held on this square.
Info Christmas Market
Weihnachtsmarkt am Hof. Open till 23rd December 2018. Hours: Monday to
Thursday 11am to 9pm, Friday to Sunday 10am to 9pm, food stalls close at 10pm.
4. Christmas Market Town Hall Square Christkindlmarkt
The city hall in neo gothic style has been finished in 1882. There is a
guy sitting on top of its tower, the city hall man, and he has probably the
best view of the Christmas Market at the foot of this property. The massive
Christmas tree was switched on to boisterous cheers of the crowds on the eve of
15th November, and people’s eyes were shining just as brightly as the lights of
the Christmas Tree. The location of the market between the famous Burgtheater
and the Vienna City Hall is simply fantastic. The market opened for the first
time in 1296 (initially at a different location) as Viennese merchants were
given the privilege of a "December market". Today there are 3 million
visitors per year who come to see what’s on offer at the 140 stalls at this
largest Christmas Market in Vienna.
Info Rathausplatz Christkindlmarkt. Rathausplatz, 1010 Vienna. Hours
till 23rd December 2018: Sunday to Thursday 10am to 9.30pm, Friday to Saturday
10am to 10pm. 24th December 2018, 10am to 6pm. 25th December and 26th December
2018, 11am to 9.30pm. Ice-skating until 6th January 2019, 10am to 10pm, 24th
December 2018: 10am to 6pm.
5. Spittelberg Christmas Market
They call Spittelberg a village in the city and it is obvious why. The
area with lots of glorious houses of the Biedermeier period was independent
before it became a borough of the city of Vienna in 1850. There are narrow
cobblestoned lanes with restaurants and small stores, and lots of small squares
where you can relax and take in the atmosphere. Right now, everything is
decorated for Christmas, and there is festive spirit everywhere. Go for a walk
to browse the 100 stalls, which you’ll find all over the village, and drink a glass
of Punsch to warm up. If you go there in the early evening it becomes very
merry and cosy. Hundreds of visitors gather in the cold and have a fun night
out.
Info Christmas Market
Spittelberg. Spittelberggasse. Open till 23rd December 2018. Hours: Monday
to Thursday 2pm – 9pm, Friday 2pm – 9.30pm, Saturday 10am – 9.30pm, Sunday 10am
– 9 pm.
How to get to Vienna
By car
from Bratislava approx. 80 kilometres.
By car
from Budapest approx. 250 kilometres.
By car
from Maribor in Slovenia approx. 250 kilometres.
By car
from Munich in Germany approx. 435 kilometres.
By
plane. Visit the website of the airport to check flight connections.
More about Christmas Markets? Read
From Berlin with love
Editor's
note: This post has been updated for accuracy in November 2018.
